Sharks stay top after grinding win over Cheetahs

Mark Gleeson

Durban: A late try from flanker Jean Dysel ensured a seventh win in eight matches for the Super Rugby leading Sharks who ground out a 19-8 win over the Cheetahs at King's Park on Saturday.

Dysel, with his first try in 60 Super Rugby appearances, carried the ball over at the end of sustained home pressure after a deft break from youthful new flyhalf Tim Swiel had set up the chance nine minutes from the end.

It took over an hour for the first try of the game before the Cheetahs' Hennie Daniller charged down a Sharks clearance and Rayno Benjamin went over for the visitors, whose four previous matches had seen them concede 40 points or more.

Frans Steyn's boot proved the difference, contributing 11 points in an error-strewn game in which the Sharks' pressure forced errors that eventually cost the Bloemfontein-based team.